[DCRM-L] 6JSC/LC/32: Revision to instructions for devised titles in RDA 2.3.2.11

[Elizabeth O'Keefe]

Francis,

Re your first point:

RDA defines a devised title as “A title proper **created by an agency**
preparing a description of a resource that bears no title itself and has no
title associated with it that can be found in other sources …” (my emphasis
added). If we record the opening words of a text, etc., as the title
proper, the agency is not creating the title, so it is not really devised;
so does that option really fit here?"

I think recording the opening words of a text does count as devising a
title, because, although it appears on the resource, it is not presented as
the title on the resource itself, or, presumably, in other reference
sources. How useful this is is a different matter. DCRM(MSS) has a
provision under devised title for using the first line of the text as the
title proper:

1B4.

Verse.

For a single poem, song, hymn, or other work in verse that lacks a formal
title, use as the title proper the first line of the text. Make a note on
the source of the title.



Dear friend, thou may'st confide

Note:  Title from first line of poem



Oh God! whose dread and dazzling brow

Note: : Title from first line of hymn


Poems and songs frequently do come to be named after their first lines, and
using this convention provides a useful identifier for the work (especially
since it would be hard to come up with a distinctive and/or meaningful
title for a poem or song). It may be more problematic for prose works. It
could be argued that a devised title that describes the content  better
supports finding the resource, OR that a title consisting of the opening
lines is preferable, because at least it provides something definite to
search.


I think you should be ready to duck on point two, though I still haven't
forged the appropriate missile.


Liz O'Keefe


On Thu, Aug 13, 2015 at 1:22 PM, Lapka, Francis <francis.lapka at yale.edu>
wrote:

> I have mixed feeling about the LC proposal on devised titles.
>
>
>
> My first quibble is pedantic. RDA defines a devised title as “A title
> proper **created by an agency** preparing a description of a resource
> that bears no title itself and has no title associated with it that can be
> found in other sources …” (my emphasis added). If we record the opening
> words of a text, etc., as the title proper, the agency is not creating the
> title, so it is not really devised; so does that option really fit here?
>
>
>
> My second concern is more substantial. There appears to be significant
> redundancy between the data recorded as devised title for Title Proper of
> the manifestation and the data recorded as devised title for Title of the
> Work (see 6.2.2.6.2). For *most* of the examples of devised titles in
> 2.3.2.11 – including the format specific instructions in
> 2.3.2.11.1-2.3.2.11.4 – the (devised) Title of the Work would be identical.
> “Typescript draft of chapters 3-20 of Natchez pilgrimage” may be an
> exception.
>
>
>
> So perhaps we should reconsider the point of devised titles for
> manifestations? We might:
>
>
>
> a) require that a devised title for a manifestation include
> manifestation-specific information (as in “Typescript draft …”);
>
>
>
> or
>
>
>
> b) consider that the Title Proper is *always* transcribed information
> (and nothing more). If there’s nothing to transcribe, record nothing.
>
>
>
> I lean to the latter option. Keep in mind that the Preferred Title for the
> Work is a core element in RDA, so even if we omit a Title Proper, the
> devised title for the work would still appear in the description of the
> resource.
>
>
>
> Should I duck?
>
>
>
> Francis
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu
> <dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu>] *On Behalf Of *Matthew C. Haugen
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 11, 2015 3:04 PM
> *To:* DCRM Users' Group
> *Subject:* [DCRM-L] Review of RDA proposals: Week 2
>
>
>
> …
>
> *Your feedback is especially valuable on these four proposals by* *THURSDAY,
> AUGUST 20:*
>
> 1.
>
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.rda-2Djsc.org_sites_all_files_6JSC-2DLC-2D32.pdf&d=AwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=t7GDkvcZa922K6iya7a6MxgVxxw7OjL0m1rPBXkflk4&m=q_SIp8JGvAd7OYu2GHKZ2ZKnuQqjD052ZRnq0YD7V8Y&s=w5vPuCiYORboIDuHQef2-u3ZbbU6GvKjoLu-KJuonh8&e=>
>
> 6JSC/LC/32: Revision to instructions for devised titles in RDA 2.3.2.11
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.rda-2Djsc.org_sites_all_files_6JSC-2DLC-2D32.pdf&d=AwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=t7GDkvcZa922K6iya7a6MxgVxxw7OjL0m1rPBXkflk4&m=q_SIp8JGvAd7OYu2GHKZ2ZKnuQqjD052ZRnq0YD7V8Y&s=w5vPuCiYORboIDuHQef2-u3ZbbU6GvKjoLu-KJuonh8&e=>
>
> This proposal seeks to provide greater flexibility for devising titles
> proper for manuscripts, ephemera, choreographic works, art, collections,
> etc.
>
>
> …
>



-- 
Elizabeth O'Keefe
Director of Collection Information Systems
The Morgan Library & Museum
225 Madison Avenue
New York, NY  10016-3405

TEL: 212 590-0380
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